


Games Played Beautifully

by GreninjaPrime, RedLily1104



Series: Time, Practice, and Love [4]
Category: Code Lyoko, Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Humor, Gaming, Gaming Fails, Humor, Minecraft, Slapstick, The Nether (Minecraft), Video & Computer Games
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-17 08:01:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29096937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreninjaPrime/pseuds/GreninjaPrime, https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedLily1104/pseuds/RedLily1104
Summary: Time is a game played beautifully by children.— HeraclitusNo one can resist the allure of a good game.A collection of silly gaming one-shots.
Relationships: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Original Character(s), Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Tikki
Series: Time, Practice, and Love [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1865413
Kudos: 9





	Games Played Beautifully

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Red Lily:** To be clear on a few things:  
> \- Amaia is not a gamer. Andres is.  
> \- Marinette is a veteran Minecraft gamer who took a year-long break.

Today was supposed to be like any other day. Helping her parents in the bakery. Doodling designs for _Code: LYOKO_. Designing new fashion lines. Occasionally visiting her neighbors. Perhaps even accompanying Amaia on walks with Diego. Except today was a sweltering hot summer day, cooping everyone up inside. What was with the heat today? Why was summer so bent on scorching the asphalt?

Ah, well. At least it gave her some reprieve.

Marinette stretched, the tension melting out of her muscles after long hours of drawing. Spinning in her chair, she stretched her legs out in front of her. Hours upon hours of sitting in one place were taking their toll. She should not be feeling like she was eighty years old when she was only fifteen. But alas, it was the life of an artist.

She was climbing the steps to her bed when her phone rang. Checking the caller ID, the name read Andres.

Huh. What did he have to say? Oh well. It wouldn’t do to just stand there and do nothing. She pressed the call button.

“Hello!” she chirped.

“Marinette, it's Andres,” the voice on the other end replied.

“Hey, Andres,” she greeted. She turned around and flopped right on her bed, her legs dangling over the edge. “What’s up?”

“I was wondering if you'd like to come over and play a game.”

“What kind?”

“Minecraft.”

_Minecraft?!_

“Be right there!”

Marinette immediately ended the call and lept down to the floor. She was a blur of motion while she zipped out the trapdoor, down the stairwell, and out of the bakery. Tikki, who had been hiding in her purse, looked up at her Holder. Curious, and concerned.

“Minecraft?” the Kwami questioned.

“It's a super fun game,” Marinette explained. Excitement coursed through every fiber of her being. “Come on!”

They wasted no time reaching their neighbor’s place. Marinette knocked twice. Loud enough for anyone nearby to hear. Marinette waited patiently on the sidewalk, letting them take their time. It was hot out. And it seemed like they were busy with something. What it was, she didn’t know. Tikki peeked up from inside Marinette’s purse. In turn, Marinette gave her Kwami a knowing look.

“It's gonna be fun,” she said. “Trust me.” Tikki simply smiled and ducked back into the purse. It had been a while since Marinette had played Minecraft. Close to a year, in fact. In between her duties as Ladybug, class president, and overall doing all the favors for her friends. Now that she had more time on her hands, she could focus more on herself. True, skipping out on duty as Ladybug was a grand no-no. But at least she had more time for herself now.

It wasn’t much longer, thank goodness, before someone opened the door.

“Hi!” she greeted.

“Welcome,” Andres welcomed. Behind him, they could hear Diego barking and running down the stairs. “ _Heads up!_ ” Andres whirled to catch Diego in midair. Just as he was bounding up to say hi to Marinette. His hands closed over the puppy’s midsection, his arms outstretched to prevent a total disaster. But just as he successfully caught the excited puppy… his feet slipped.

“ _Agh!_ ”

His entire body leaned backward. His head collided with Marinette’s chest. Marinette’s sense of balance went flying out the window like a loveliness of ladybugs. Her arms flailed. Her feet slipped out from under her. Diego’s tail wagged. Andres tried, in desperation, to grab something to regain balance. But all he could get his hands on, besides the dog, was thin air.

Down they went, colliding with the sidewalk on the outside. Chaos erupted inside the house, worried for their guest, son, and four-legged son. Mireya and Salomon shouted, slipping into their native Spanish. Footsteps hurried down the stairs. A head of red hair emerged, her expression on the verge of a freak-out. She hurried to the fallen group.

“You alright?!” Amaia stressed, startled by the ruckus. She paused, alongside Salomon and Mireya, the minute she saw the aftermath of Andres’s attempt to catch Diego. Namely, the trio was in a pile. Diego licked Marinette’s face, his paws stepping on Andres’s face and his tail high in the air. Complete with wagging like a metronome on high speed. Andres looked displeased to the highest level. Both with the puppy’s paws on his face and with his crush’s attention being elsewhere. Amaia could’ve sworn her brain went blank at the ridiculousness of the scene.

Marinette stuck a thumbs-up in the air. “We’re fine!”

“…”

* * *

Upstairs, after being helped up by the two adults plus Amaia, they set up their Switch consoles to start playing. It didn’t take long, much to their surprise. Amaia called Diego over and held him while Marinette and Andres were helped up. Then they were sent on their way upstairs. They would be playing in Andres’s room, where he had his console. Amaia lounged on the bed where she held and petted Diego. And Marinette sat down with him while the game loaded.

“Did you hear about the update coming out soon?” Andres asked.

“The Cave Update?” Marinette giggled, wiggling in her seat. “I can't wait!”

And so they chattered on about the upcoming Cave Update. Which Amaia had no interest in, but it was nice to see Andres enjoying it. Even better now that he had someone to enjoy it with.

“What world are we exploring today?” Marinette asked. Andres grinned.

“I have one ready that I've been working on for a while.”

“Ooh.”

The title screen loaded on Andres’s Switch. He looked over to Marinette. “Thank you, by the way, for keeping the hairstyle I did for you,” he complimented. “It looks pretty.”

Marinette smiled, pulling him into a hug. “I should be thanking _you_ ,” she said. “For doing my hair for me.” She completed this gesture of affection with a pat on his head. Which caused an eruption of hearts from the young boy. From her position on the bed, Amaia grinned.

“So much for being dive-bombed by a bird.”

“Oh, hey.”

Some fiddling later, they connected to the signal. Andres’s avatar loaded first. A near-perfect replica of his real-life self. Right down to the accessories and stray wisps of hair. He turned to Marinette and asked, “What does your skin look like?”

A grin stretched from ear to ear. Marinette’s smile lit up her eyes. Logging in, she showed off her custom skin in all its glory.

“Tada~!”

Marinette’s avatar looked almost exactly like her, featuring her old style of pigtails. The dress was tailor-made to look Chinese, with undeniable traces of Marinette’s signature flowers. Adding to the cute design was Marinette’s favorite hues of pink. Andres erupted hearts once again.

“Did you make that yourself?” Amaia asked. Diego licked her hand.

“Please say yes.”

Marinette smiled. “I did.”

Andres fell in even deeper love than he did before if it was possible.

“Can I show you the base I made?” he asked, hope in his eyes. “Well, the workshop at least?”

“Sure.”

Flipping through the world selection screen, Andres picked the world they would explore. Diego laid happily on his owner’s chest, enjoying the back and neck rubs. Once the loading screen was finished, they found themselves in a small village near a mountain. Behind them, Amaia set Diego down on the floor.

“Aww, what a cute little village,” Marinette cooed. She walked up to a villager. “What items does he have?”

“I wouldn't exactly trade with them,” Andres warned. “They are outrageous with their prices. You need emeralds most of the time to trade with them.”

One look at the wares of the Villager she was interacting with, and she quickly exited the trade screen. Her avatar backed away, inch by inch. “Note to self. That's what happens when you don't play in a year.”

Behind them, Amaia set Diego down.

“What texture pack are you using?”

Andres grinned his gremlin grin. “I like the Faithful texture pack,” he answered. “I have others, but I use this the most.”

“Dang, that's an expensive pack.”

“I can afford it.”

Marinette’s train of thought screeched to a halt. “Wait, what?”

Because what? Really? He could afford it?

Andres proudly puffed up his chest. “I'm a creator in the Marketplace,” he preened. “I get paid for giving people different things they can use.” He glanced down. “Diego, not the cable!”

**_Arf!_ **

Marinette fought back a laugh while Amaia picked up Diego again. Just before he could start chewing on the charging cords. Grumbling, Andres moved his avatar to lead Marinette away from the village. It wasn’t far. Andres said while they played he liked to build near villages. Easier to trade with once he had more Emeralds. Though he hated the Wandering Trader.

“Wow,” she marveled. “You've been busy.”

She looked around the space, impressed with what Andres had built. The interior, she could tell, was hollowed out from the mountain they were looking at. The entrance was a simple A-line roof integrated with the mountain’s base. A makeshift chimney billowed smoke out from the campfire he had placed for effect. A pair of torches on either side shed some light on the scene. All in all, an impressive effort on his part.

Andres surveyed where her avatar was going. “ _Careful for that pond!!_ ” Marinette jumped, startled. Her avatar backed away slowly. “Do not go swimming in that. I have my treasure hidden at the bottom.” Looking around, she could see skulls around the bottom of the pond.

“What kind of command block did you use?”

Marinette backed away, unaware of what was behind her. Gracelessly, and without warning, she fell into the pond. 

“Ack!”

Marinette bobbed up and down, Andres desperately trying to help her out. Amaia bit her lip to contain a laugh, Diego resting on her chest. As a last resort, Andres destroyed two blocks to make an escape route for her. With one jump, Marinette rescued herself from the poisoned pond.

< _Marinette was killed by magic_ >

Andres’s mouth hung open like a gaping fish. Marinette’s eyes looked like dinner plates. Amaia was shaking, trying not to laugh. Because what should have been a dramatic rescue ended in utter failure. Marinette’s avatar respawned near the village.

“Wow,” Amaia said. “Poisoned to death right on the first date.”

Andres blushed. Marinette groaned. “This is _not_ a date, Amaia,” the black-haired girl grumbled. She opened up the pause menu. “Do I have OP status?”

Andres’s face turned even redder. “Uhh…”

“OP status in the game? Yes,” Amaia quipped. There was an impish grin on her face. “OP status in his heart? Double yes.”

Andres was tempted to throw the Switch at his sister. “Amaia, you're not helping!”

She did not lose that impish grin. “Was I supposed to?”

“Please?”

Another sly grin. Then Amaia set Diego on the ground. With a command she had taught him, he immediately trotted over to Marinette. Excited, he touched his wet nose to her ankle.

“Ah!” Marinette cried, jumping in her seat.

**_Arf!!_ **

Diego pawed Marinette’s leg, begging for attention. He jumped, delicately snapping his little jaws in play bites. Marinette looked down, smiling. She patted his head, then pulled him into her lap for petting. Andres huffed.

“Hey hey hey, no,” he scolded. “She's mine, not yours.”

“You asked me to help,” Amaia called. Andres went dead silent, processing the statement. Because, yes. He did ask for help. Scowling, he crossed his arms while Marinette cooed at Diego.

“Who's a good boy? You are. You are.”

Andres perked up. “What about me?”

**_Arf!_ **

Marinette booped his nose. “You're still cute.” Just like that, Andres’s face matched his sister’s hair. Who called Diego back for more petting. Holding her Switch again, Marinette looked around Andres’s workshop.

“Wow,” she marveled. “How long did _this_ take to build?” The “this” in question being a house consisting of four cubes. All had different colored stained-glass blocks. Andres smiled, pride coloring his aura.

“About half an hour.”

“Wow.”

Andres headed up the mountain. “Look up there on that hill.”

Marinette looked… and her jaw just about dropped. Carefully crafted, in fine detail, was a Nether Portal shaped like a sword. He must’ve spent hours on it because it looked so intricate. The guard curved in the manner of an old two-hander. The pommel was made of Blackstone and Gilded Blackstone. Soul Lanterns hung from chains, giving the Portal eerie lighting. Fitting for the equally eerie Nether.

“Oh. My. Gosh.” Marinette gestured wildly to the TV screen. “How did you do _this?!_ ”

“Some time and many building tutorials,” Andres replied. Marinette’s dropped jaw found its way back to her head.

“Well, it paid off.”

Andres beamed. “I'll go first. You go in behind me please.”

“Sure thing.”

Going in, Marinette wasn’t prepared for how _green_ the Nether would be. No, not green. This color was cyan. Tall mushrooms dotted the landscape alongside long vines. From what she had remembered reading, this was a Warped Forest biome in the game. They’d added several since she’d last played. A Crimson Forest, a Soul Sand Valley, a Basalt Delta. It was amazing how much had changed in the year she took off of Minecraft.

“We're looking for the Fortress,” Andres said. He switched to Survival Mode and held his shield up. Wonder why he chose to forgo armor.

“Just don't die on me, okay?” Marinette teased.

“Not a chance,” Andres said, puffing up his chest. “The Nether fears me.”

“Didn't you earn the Olympic medal for swimming in lava the other day?” Amaia quipped.

“ _No_.”

Marinette snickered.

“He's an Olympic swimmer when it comes to lava.”

“Am not,” Andres retorted.

“Are too,” Amaia fired back.

“Am not.”

“Are too.”

“Am not.”

“Are too.”

< _Andres tried to swim in lava._ >

“ _What?!_ ”

Amaia’s lips thinned. She choked back a laugh at her brother’s misfortune. Marinette wasn’t faring any better. Because she was holding her hand over her mouth, trying her best to keep it together. Andres glared at the Switch, the desire to murder it present in his eyes. He settled for a slight snarl. How dare the Nether kill him.

“Sorry,” Amaia chuckled. Diego just snoozed on his owner’s chest, not a care in the world. Grumbling, Andres teleported to Marinette.

“Ice of you to stop by,” she said. Andres just gave her a look.

“Oh ha ha,” he replied sarcastically. Marinette grinned and they continued their adventure. “Did you know you can respawn in the Nether now?

“With a Respawn Anchor,” Marinette added. Sorting through her inventory, she showed off some of the goodies she’d already gotten. “I mined some Glowstone already.” Courtesy of switching between Creative and Survival to ease back into it. Which didn’t take long. Even after being away for a year, she could still remember the commands. It helped that she kept up to date even without playing.

“Good,” Andres said. Marinette entered Creative Mode again and pulled out a Respawn Anchor. To make sure they didn’t lose their place, she set it near the Portal. “They also updated it too,” he added. “You can use a bed as well until you have an Anchor.”

A pause.

“Ohhh no,” Marinette said, shaking her head. “No way am I falling for that.”

“That's how he got me the other day,” Amaia quipped in the background.

“It's true though,” Andres insisted. One look at the little gremlin smile on his face, and Marinette knew he was feigning innocence.

“…”

Marinette eyed him, suspicion snaking its way through. He still had that gremlin look in his eye. The kind where one just knows he’s trying to pull a leg. Checking her status, she realized… she was still in Creative Mode.

“…”

Wordlessly, she flipped through the inventory, pulled out a bed, and set it next to Andres.

She detonated the bed at point-blank range.

**_BOOM!!!_ **

“ _Aahh!!_ ”

< _Andres blew up_ >

“Well, would you look at that?” Marinette mused. “It _does_ work.” Amaia did her very best to not laugh. But it was very hard.

“Dang it.”

Andres respawned in his workshop.

“Teleport to me. I'm on the ground.”

Andres opened up the screen to input the command. When he suddenly stopped. “Wait,” he said. “That sounds suspicious.” He looked at Marinette. “You're in the air, otherwise you wouldn't have said you're on the ground.”

Marinette grinned. “I’m not.”

Andres just bobbed his head in a sarcastic nod. “Uh huh.”

“He's not gonna fall for that, Marinette.”

Marinette nearly chucked the Switch at Amaia. “Whose side are you on?” Amaia responded by holding up Diego.

**_Arf!_ **

“Amaia got me with that for a whole week,” Andres added. Marinette looked between the siblings.

“Remind me not to get involved in a prank war with you two.”

“I dunno,” Amaia said. “It might slip my mind.”

There was a great deal of internal screaming in Marinette’s mind.

Soon, they were back to their exploring. Marinette nearly shrieked when she saw the Striders. But one Warped Fungus on a Stick later, she was having the time of her life riding safely over the lava oceans. They came upon a group of Piglins (Marinette briefly forgot they weren’t called Pigmen anymore). Where they bartered for some goodies in a Crimson Forest. Wandering around the biome, Marinette was in awe at what had changed since she had last played.

“There it is!” Andres exclaimed. Marinette bolted.

“Let me see!” She hurried up to see the fortress in the distance. “Wow.” It was so big! Wow, she’d forgotten how big these things could get. She remembered from playthroughs the year before how much like a maze they were. What goodies were inside? She couldn’t wait!

Andres brandished his triton. “Time to conquer this one.” Of which, Marinette heartily agreed.

“You two look like kids in a candy store,” Amaia commented.

“I think I'm already on a sugar high,” Andres replied. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Marinette. The concentrated look of her face mixed in with the light from her Switch only served to heighten his crush on her. A look of complete adoration.

“Best not eat the eye candy,” Amaia said. “You're already enough of a sugar demon.”

Instantly, both players’ faces turned beet red.

“Uhh…”

Marinette’s face flushed red. She looked anywhere but at Andres. Who, in turn, averted eye contact with her. Blushing, they both continued their trek to the Nether Fortress. In the hopes it would distract them better.

“Ah!” Marinette yelped. She held her feet up over the chair upon feeling a wet sensation on her ankle.

**_Arf!_ **

Oh. It was Diego.

“Diego. No. Mine.”

**_Arf!_ **

Marinette bent down to pet him once the surprise wore off. Amaia watched from her spot. “I didn't tell him to do that this time.”

“Did too.” Diego pawed Andres’s pant leg. “Okay, fine,” he grumbled. “You can be up here.” At which, Marinette smiled. Diego happily climbed onto Andres’s lap.

< _Andres hit the ground too hard_ >

“ _What?!_ ”

“His luck must be on vacation today.”

Marinette tried everything in her power to not snicker. To no avail, unfortunately. Andres muttered something in Spanish. To which, Amaia also replied in the language. Marinette looked between them, wishing she had paid better attention in foreign language.

“I cannot understand what you two are saying.”

“Sibling rivalry is the best,” was all Andres would say. Followed by a semi-evil chuckle.

“Hang with us, you'll be fluent in no time,” Amaia said. Marinette gave her an incredulous look.

“And I take it it's gonna be the conversational type, right?”

“Oh, yes.”

Andres piped up. “I will teach her.”

“We _all_ will, lobito,” Amaia corrected. Marinette chose not to say anything. Some time later, Diego went back to his owner.

They split at the entrance to explore the Nether Fortress. And Marinette now remembered how _big_ they were. To say it was a maze was an understatement. It was freakin’ _huge_. The Nether Bricks clinked and clunked under her avatar’s feet with every step. The mobs inside were easy to dispose of, thanks to being in Creative Mode. Might as well deck herself in armor and pull out some weapons. Seems like the mobs here were relentless.

“Heads up,” Marinette said. “Blaze Spawner.”

“I got it!” he exclaimed. He rushed toward the Spawner. “ _Ahh!!_ ”

< _Andres went up in flames > _

"Hold on!” Marinette cried. She charged, Netherite Sword drawn and ready. Seconds later, she had slain the Blaze.

“Point one goes to the eye candy,” Amaia called. Andres, meanwhile, respawned and teleported to Marinette.

“Well, I've destroyed the Blaze Spawner.” She snooped around for goodies. “Ooh, Nether Wart at five o'clock.”

“Watch out!”

Alarmed, Marinette whirled. There was a Wither Skeleton just nearby. One by one, it fired its arrows. But this time, she was prepared. “How about a taste of _this?!_ ”

She charged. Sword drawn and shield up. The Wither Skeleton didn’t even stand a chance. She downed it in seconds. Andres watched in amazement.

“Wow.”

Marinette imagined her avatar wiping her brow. “Phew.”

“ _Ack!_ ”

< _Andres was slain by a Wither Skeleton_ >

“Fail,” Amaia said. Andres huffed.

“I'm not failing! I'm far from it!”

Teleporting to Marinette, he ran down the corridor to fight more mobs.

“Agh!”

< _Andres was shot by a Skeleton_ >

Marinette charged again, intent on killing the Skeleton.

“Avenged!” she cried as soon as it fell. Andres respawned and teleported to her.

“I shall honor my princess for the nobility.” He did a pretend bow in real life. In honor of his princess.

“Honor me, my loyal knight!”

“Loyalty to the end!”

< _Andres withered away_ >

“Oh, come on!”

Marinette opted not to say anything. The boy was frustrated enough. It was too bad Amaia didn’t quite share the same sentiment. Because she could hear the telltale signs of someone trying to hold back a laugh. Said someone was Andres’s sister, but oh well. Marinette activated flight for her avatar and sailed over the Fortress.

In time for Andres to decide to teleport.

“ _Andres!_ ”

< _Andres fell from a high place_ >

Marinette’s lips drew in a thin line. Amaia tried her hardest not to laugh.

“Trying again!”

“Watch out,” Marinette warned. “There's a Blaze here.” Sword drawn, Marinette killed the attacking Blaze. Thankfully, since she was still in Creative Mode, it didn’t hurt her. Andres teleported once she assured it was safe.

“Was it the last one?”

He was immediately set on fire by an unseen Blaze.

“Ack!” Marinette shouted. Selecting the sword, she charged in to kill the Blaze. Andres, meanwhile, tried to survive the flames.

“Nononono!!!”

< _Andres burned to death_ >

“…”

“ _Why…_ ”

“…”

For the rest of the exploration, he didn’t fare much better. Be it being shot by Skeletons, slain by Zombie Piglins, or gored by a sudden Hoglin. Marinette counted at least seventeen different deaths this last expedition. Amaia was no help. She was laughing at him every which way. Though she tried to disguise it, it was still there.

< _Andres withered away_ >

“…”

“I give…” he whimpered. He exited the world and turned off his Switch, setting it on the table. Marinette turned off hers and set it back down. Slowly, she pulled Andres into a hug. Amaia set down Diego and gave him the command to go to Andres. He dutifully obeyed, trotting up to the downtrodden boy.

**_Arf!_ **

Stroking his hair, while Diego put his paws on Andres’s knees, she let him rest his head on her. “Let's work on taming the Nether next time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **GreninjaPrime:** To impress someone, the first rule is not to try so hard. For clarity, Andres plays in Creative most of the time, and switches between it and Survival when he just wants to play and relax. He does know how to play Survival and win, but prefers the other so he can do whatever he wants without restraint


End file.
